Governance

Ed Bastian became Chief Executive Officer on May 2, 2016, after nearly 18 years with the airline.

In his previous role as President, Ed focused on leading Delta’s commercial and international functions and strengthening Delta’s financial foundation through innovation, debt reduction, revenue growth and bolstering the airline’s global network.

Ed played a pivotal role in finalizing Delta’s acquisition of Northwest Airlines in 2008 and managing the airlines’ successful integration. Since that time, Ed and his team have led Delta’s continued transformation by developing strategies to make the business less vulnerable to economic cycles. Examples include: the purchase of a refinery which is expected to save the airline $300 million annually; reducing Delta’s debt to increase its flexibility; and investing in the Delta experience from facilities enhancements at several of Delta’s hubs to online and in-flight product improvements which, combined, are expected to contribute more than $1 billion in annual benefits to Delta.

Ed joined Delta in 1998 as Vice President – Finance and Controller and was promoted to Senior Vice President in 2000. He left Delta in early 2004 to become Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Acuity Brands before returning to Delta six months later to serve as the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Ed was appointed to serve as Delta’s President in September 2007.

Ed also served as Chief Restructuring Officer between 2005 and 2007, playing a crucial role in the airline’s swift and successful Chapter 11 reorganization.

Ed has broad finance and audit experience, including serving as Vice President – Finance for Pepsi Cola International, Vice President – Business Processes reengineering for Frito-Lay, Vice President – Finance and Controller for Frito-Lay International, and as a partner in the New York audit practice of Price Waterhouse specializing in the entertainment, advertising and manufacturing sectors. He also served as the strategic planning partner for Price Waterhouse’s New York region.

Ed graduated of St. Bonaventure University in New York with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration.

Ms. Black has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP), a leading global technology company providing human capital management (HCM) solutions, since January 2023. She previously served as President of ADP from January 2022 to January 2023, and held various positions of increasing responsibility across the entirety of ADP’s global portfolio since joining the company in 1996, including as President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing from 2020 to 2022, President, Small Business Solutions and Human Resources Outsourcing from 2017 to 2020, President, ADP TotalSource from 2014 to 2016, General Manager, ADP United Kingdom from 2013 to 2014, and General Manager, Employer Services - TotalSource Western Central Region from 2008 to 2013. Ms. Black also serves on the Board of Directors of Automatic Data Processing, Inc.

Mr. Chiang serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (PAA), and its general partner holding company Plains GP Holdings, L.P. (PAGP). PAA is a publicly traded master limited partnership that owns and operates midstream energy infrastructure and provides logistics services for crude oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas. He has held the position of Chief Executive Officer of PAA and PAGP since October 2018, Chairman since January 2020 and has served as a director of PAA and PAGP since February 2017. Mr. Chiang previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of PAA and PAGP from January 2018 until October 2018 and as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the company's U.S. operating and commercial activities from August 2015 through December 2017. He joined PAA and PAGP in 2015 from Occidental Petroleum Corporation, where he served as Executive Vice President, Operations from 2012 until 2015. From 1996 until 2012, he served in various positions at ConocoPhillips and predecessors, including as Senior Vice President - Refining, Marketing, Transportation, and Commercial. Mr. Chiang started his career in refining with Chevron in 1981.

Mr. Creed served as Chief Executive Officer of Yum! Brands, Inc., a global operator of quick service restaurants, from January 2015 until his retirement in December 2019. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Yum! Brands from November 2014 to May 2020. Mr. Creed served as Chief Executive Officer of Taco Bell Division from January 2011 to December 2014 and as President and Chief Concept Officer of Taco Bell U.S. from December 2006 to December 2010 after holding various other positions of increasing responsibility with the company since 1994. Mr. Creed is the founder of Creed UnCo, a consulting business focused on culture and leadership, brand building and franchising. He also currently serves as advisor to the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors of Thanx Inc. Mr. Creed also serves on the Board of Directors of Whirlpool Corporation and Aramark Corporation.

Mr. DeWalt is the Founder, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NightDragon Security, a venture capital and advisory firm focused on cybersecurity, safety, security and privacy. He also serves as a Managing Director of AllegisCyber Capital, an early-stage cybersecurity venture capital firm. Mr. DeWalt previously served as the Executive Chairman of FireEye, Inc., a global network cybersecurity company. He served as FireEye’s Chief Executive Officer from November 2012 to June 2016 and Chairman of the Board from June 2012 to January 2017. Mr. DeWalt was President and Chief Executive Officer of McAfee, Inc., a security technology company, from 2007 until 2011 when McAfee, Inc. was acquired by Intel Corporation. From 2003 to 2007, Mr. DeWalt held executive positions with EMC Corporation, a provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions, including serving as Executive Vice President and President - Customer Operations and Content Management Software.

Ms. Hale has been President and Chief Executive Officer of RLJ Lodging Trust, a publicly traded lodging real estate investment trust, since August 2018. She previously served as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of RLJ Lodging Trust from 2016 to 2018, and Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President and Treasurer from 2011 to 2016. Ms. Hale served as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Finance of RLJ Development from 2007 until the formation of RLJ Lodging Trust in 2011 and Vice President (and previously Director) of Real Estate and Finance for RLJ Development from 2005 to 2007. From 2002 to 2005, she held various positions of increasing responsibility within the global financial services divisions of General Electric Company. Ms. Hale also serves on the Board of Directors of RLJ Lodging Trust.

Mr. Hazleton is a Delta pilot and currently a Captain flying the Airbus 330 aircraft. Mr. Hazleton was a Northwest Airlines pilot from 1999 until he became a Delta pilot upon Northwest’s merger with Delta. He was nominated by the Delta MEC as the Pilot Nominee. He also previously served as the Chairman of the Delta MEC Strategic Planning Committee.

Mr. Huerta currently serves as a transportation industry consultant. Mr. Huerta completed a five-year term as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in January 2018. Before being named as Administrator, Mr. Huerta served as Acting Administrator of the FAA from 2011 to 2013 and FAA Deputy Administrator from 2010 to 2011. Mr. Huerta served as Executive Vice President and Group President of the Transportation Solutions Group at Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (now Conduent) from 2008 to 2009 and Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Transportation Solutions of ACS Government Solutions from 2002 to 2008. Mr. Huerta also serves on the boards of directors of Joby Aviation, Inc. and Verra Mobility Corp.

Mr. Prabhu served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice Chairman of Visa Inc. from 2015 and 2019, respectively, until his retirement from the company in September 2023. Mr. Prabhu previously served as Chief Financial Officer for NBCUniversal Media, LLC from May 2014 to February 2015, Chief Financial Officer and Vice Chairman of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. from 2004 to May 2014 and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Safeway, Inc. from 2000 to 2004. Mr. Prabhu also serves on the Boards of Directors of Kenvue, Inc. and Intuit, Inc.

Mr. Rial serves as Chairman of the Board of Vibra Energia SA, a Brazilian energy company and Vice Chairman of the Board of BRF S.A., a global food processing company based in Brazil. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Ebury Partners, a financial services company specialized in international payments, collections and foreign exchange services. Mr. Rial previously was the Chief Executive Officer of Banco Santander (Brasil), a subsidiary of Banco Santander, from 2016 to 2022, before transitioning to the role of Chairman of the Board from 2022 to early 2023. From 2012 to February 2015, Mr. Rial was Chief Executive Officer of Marfrig Global Foods, one of the world’s largest meat companies with operations in Brazil and 15 other countries. Prior to joining Marfrig in 2012, Mr. Rial served in various leadership capacities with Cargill, Inc., a Minneapolis-based global provider of food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services. At Cargill, Mr. Rial served as Chief Financial Officer from 2009 to 2011 and Executive Vice President from 2011 to 2012. He was also a member of Cargill’s board of directors from 2010 to 2012. From 2002 to 2004, Mr. Rial was a senior managing director and co-head of the Investment Banking Division at Bear Stearns & Co. in New York after serving at ABN AMRO Bank N.V. for 18 years.

Mr. Taylor serves as Senior Operating Advisor to funds managed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, a private investment firm. He served as the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Procter & Gamble Company from November 2021 to June 2022. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Procter & Gamble from 2015 to November 2021 and as Chairman of the Board from 2016 to November 2021. Mr. Taylor joined Procter & Gamble in 1980 and held numerous positions of increasing responsibility in North America, Europe and Asia, including serving as Group President-Global Beauty, Grooming & Healthcare, Group President-Global Health & Grooming, Group President-Global Home Care and President-Global Family Care.

Ms. Waller is the Executive Director of the Atlanta Committee for Progress. Ms. Waller has served as an executive coach for The ExCo Group (f/k/a Merryck & Co. Americas) since 2019. From 2014 until her retirement in March 2019, Ms. Waller served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Coca-Cola Company. From May 1, 2017 until her retirement, Ms. Waller assumed expanded responsibility for Coca-Cola’s strategic governance areas when she was also appointed to serve as President, Enabling Services. Ms. Waller joined Coca-Cola in 1987 as a senior accountant and assumed roles of increasing responsibility during her career, including Vice President, Finance and Controller. Ms. Waller also serves on the Boards of Directors of CGI, Inc. and Beyond Meat, Inc.